Career Tips

Sometimes, there are good reason to turn down a job offer . While getting offered a job is always a good thing, there are legitimate reasons to say “no thanks.” As a general rule, there should be a major incompatibility with you and the organization for you to turn down the job. For instance, perhaps the commute is so great that it would be unreasonable for you to get in on time everyday. Or, maybe the salary is unreasonable for the amount of work you are expected to do. Minor complaints about the organization, however, are not good reasons to reject a job offer. Here are some common reasons I have heard that just don’t make sense to me:

It is important to do ample job research before you apply to a nonprofit. You should always know what you are getting into before you start blindly filling out applications. Given the amount of resources available to job seekers today, there is really no excuse not to do your homework. This doesn’t mean that researching a job should be treated like an inquisition. On the contrary, you only need to do a few simple things to get the most out of your research:

Career networking is many things, but there is one thing it is not: Working your contacts only when you need a job. There is a belief amongst some job seekers that this is the only time you should be in touch with your network. Why shouldn’t this be the case? After all, why should you be bothering reaching out to job contacts when you already have work?

At the end of most interviews , the hiring manager will ask if you have any questions about the position. Even if the interviewer was as clear as they could be on the position, it is a good idea to have some interview questions prepared. It shows initiative and it allows you to gather more information that you otherwise might not have known. Your questions should be phrased in a way to get the most info out of the interviewer; in other words, you should avoid asking things that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Coming up with these great job interview questions can be hard, so here are some examples to help you along:

There is no question that the job search is really frustrating these days. It seems like everyday there is negative news about the job market. How is anybody supposed to function in such a terrible climate? It’s times like these where the frustration can really reach an all time high when looking for nonprofit jobs. It’s how you deal with this frustration, however, that will determine how succesful you will be looking for work.

When submitting a job application, many organizations now require you to submit a cover letter along with your resume. Cover letter writing may seem easy, but it is often misunderstood. It is not simply an expanded version of your resume. The hiring manager has already read your resume, so there is no need to restate things. Instead, a good cover letter should tell a story that relates why you are a good fit for the job in question. Here are some tips to get you started:

Having a great resume is only half the battle. If the only thing you are doing with it is submitting it via job applications, you are going about the process in the wrong way. To get the most out of it, you should post your resume online. Most job boards give job seekers the option to do this, and you should take advantage of this feature immediately.

Did you know that you can be a brand? You will find much more success in your job search if you market youself just like a product. Before you start breaking out the film cameras and filming a commercial, let me explain a little more. Take a look at all the things that represent you, both online and in your appearance. What does your Facebook page say about you? Does it paint you in a good light, or is it embarrassing What about your e-mail address? Are you still using that funny username you made when you were younger? If there is any doubt in your mind about these questions, you need to start changing them to improve your personal branding.

The employment landscape is changing. Whether it’s for the better or worse is up for debate, but there is no doubt that employers are using new tools to streamline the hiring process. It is up to you to adjust to some of these new job search trends if you want to move ahead in this market. Let’s go over how you can adapt to these new fads:

Nonprofit internships are ideal for people looking to break into the sector. They provide a great chance for individuals to get a better idea of what it’s like to work at a not-for-profit by providing them with hands on experiences. There’s only one problem: Internships often don’t provide much income besides a stipend. Luckily for job seekers , a lot of organizations use internship programs as a way to scout potential full time employees. Here are some tips to help you make that happen: